S.A. Pimms
PREFACE – 1865
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Sophia awoke to the sound of the waves.
She lay back for a moment with her eyes closed, letting the splash and roar relax her jangled nerves, until the sharp, insistent pain in her left temple finally brought her back around to reality. The reality was that it was very, very hot, and that when she opened her eyes, there was nothing to be seen for miles but sand and water. There was also sand clinging to Sophia’s hair, and when she reached to push it out of her face, she realized it was wet. She’d been swimming, then. Had she been swimming? It seemed like a logical conclusion to come to. She was at the seaside, after all, and her hair was damp, and sandy…
What was she doing at the seaside?
Her stomach dropped, as things began to come together…or rather, didn’t. She had no idea what she was doing, or how she’d gotten here.
Oh gods, she thought, I’ve probably been drinking. I have to learn to stay away from Captain Sam’s, that stuff is a killer.